UK House of Commons votes to legalize assisted suicide

The UK House of Commons narrowly voted to approve a measure legalizing assisted suicide Friday afternoon, BBC reports.

In a free vote – where MPs weren’t expected to follow a party line – the lower chamber voted 314-291 to approve the legislation in a body where the left-of-center Labour Party holds over 400 seats.

The measure now heads to the House of Lords, traditionally the more conservative of the two chambers. 

Right to Life UK praised the “significantly reduced margin” of approvals – down from a 55-vote majority earlier in the legislative process. 

“Although the Bill passed the Commons today, momentum remains with its opponents, with support consistently falling every time MPs have considered it,” its statement said. “The Bill leaves the Commons lacking a majority, with fewer than half of all MPs voting for it at its final stage.” 

“We will be fighting this Bill at every stage in the House of Lords, where we are confident it can be overturned given its continued loss of support,” it added. 

Labour MP Dan Carden fears the measure will destroy families. 

“I genuinely fear the legislation will take us in the wrong direction,” he told the Guardian. “The values of family, social bonds, responsibilities, time and community will be diminished, with isolation, atomisation and individualism winning again.” 

Canada legalized assisted suicide in 2016. It became the country’s fifth-leading cause of death by 2022, increasing from 1,018 cases in 2016 to 13,241 cases six years later.